Maryland Legislators Considering Bills to Restrict Pre-Employment Salary Inquiries

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
02/06/2017
In January, Maryland lawmakers proposed H.B. 398 and S.B. 404 to amend Maryland’s Equal Pay Act.  The Act, codified at Md. Code Ann., Lab. & Emp. § 3-301 et seq., generally prohibits discrimination in pay based on sex or gender identity for employees who work in the same establishment and perform similar jobs or work on the same operation, in the same business, or of the same type.  Under § 3-304.1 of the Act, employers are...
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President Trump Is Here...

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
01/25/2017
It has been five days since his inauguration, and the world continues to turn (and Trump continues to Tweet).  Thus far, we have seen remarks on attendance figures at the Inauguration, "alternative facts," Cabinet appointments, and a slew of Executive Orders.   Without getting into the politics of it all, here are some key highlights of Trump's first few days: Federal agencies have been instructed to freeze all pending regulations, which would...
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Maryland Legislative Update - The Healthy Working Families Act

Lawmakers in Maryland have attempted to pass a paid sick leave bill for a number of years.  With the General Assembly reconvening on Wednesday, the effort is being renewed this year.  Thus far, legislators have introduced House Bill 1 and House Bill 65 -- both are versions of the Healthy Working Families Act, which was introduced last session as House Bill 580.  Governor Hogan has said that he will introduce paid sick leave legislation of his...
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Federal Court Issues Nationwide Order Blocking New Overtime Rule

Employers received something to be thankful for late yesterday afternoon, when a federal judge in Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against the Obama Administration’s overtime rules that were scheduled to take effect on December 1. With the Trump Administration set to take office on January 20, 2017, there is a significant chance the new rules will never take effect. A brief FLSA refresher: employers are ordinarily required to pay...
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Maryland Significantly Changes Pay Discrimination Law with Equal Pay for Equal Work Act of 2016

On May 19, Governor Hogan signed into law the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act of 2016.  The law, which takes effect on October 1, 2016, amends the state’s existing wage discrimination law in several significant ways. Changes that Protect Employees There are several notable changes in the amendment that give broader protections to employees, including: Prohibiting pay discrimination because of gender identity.  LGBT employees are now explicitly...
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Maryland Passes New "Equal Pay for Equal Work" Bill

Clifford Geiger
Clifford Geiger
04/13/2016
Maryland law already prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sex and gender identity.  Likewise, Maryland already has an equal pay law.  On April 9, 2016, however, the Maryland legislature passed a bill that would supplement those existing laws.   This bill targets equal pay for equal work by specifically providing that an employer may not pay an employee a lower wage than an employee of another sex or gender identity if both...
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North Carolina Enacts The Most Sweeping Anti-LGBT Law In The Country

I went to law school in North Carolina.  My daughter went to college there, at a school that uses a lighter color blue than the one I went to.  I have family members and dear friends who have lived in North Carolina for decades.  I mention this because I love the state of North Carolina.  Maybe just not some (many) of its legislators, or at least 82 of them.  As I heard the author John Irving say just this past week:  “if you must practice...
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The Most Generous Paid Leave Act Is Pending Before The District of Columbia Council

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
10/14/2015
Last week, Eric Paltell posted on this very same legislation.  I promise I do read the posts on our own blog, but clearly "forgot" for a minute when I posted this entry yesterday.  While there is some duplication, our presentations come from a different angle.  So I leave this up for your reading pleasure, openly acknowledging the "already done that" aspect of the base topic. The D.C. Council has pending before it one of the most generous paid...
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Democrats Propose Major Overhaul of Federal Labor Laws

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
10/08/2015
In the past several weeks, Democratic leaders in Washington have proposed a a series of dramatic changes to federal labor laws intended to make it easier for labor unions to organize workers. On September 16, 2015, Senator Patty Murray (Wa.) and Representative Bobby Scott  (Va.) introduced the "Workplace Action for a Growing Economy" (WAGE) Act (H.R. 4514; S.2042).  The legislation would amend the National Labor Relations Act to allow workers to...
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"Ban The Box" Continues To Catch On In Maryland

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
01/08/2015
Montgomery and Prince George's Counties join Baltimore City (and the District of Columbia) to now limit an employer's ability to inquire about an applicant's criminal history.  This trend continues to grow, and very likely, will become Maryland state law sooner than later. Montgomery County Ordinance Effective January 1, 2015, most private employers with 15 or more full-time employees and that do business in Montgomery County may not inquire about...
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